Ore washer or concentrator



(No Model.) 2 She et s-Sheet 1. .U. P. PIKE. ORE WASHER 0R OONGENTRATOR.

- No. 528,979. Patentd Nov. 13, 1894.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. I

C. F. PIKE. 0m: WASHER OR'GONGENTRATOR.

No. 528,979. Patented Nov; 13, 1894.

; INVENTOR 7a. WE Q EEZW J azmza 7% M UNITED STAT S PATENT DFFICE.

CHARLES F. PIKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. Q

ORE WASHER OR CONCENTRATOR.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,979, dated November 13, 1894. Application filed June 10, 1893. Renewed April 17, 1894:. Serial No. 507,944. (No model.) I

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PIKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore Washers or Concentrators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

My invention has relation to that form of ore washers and concentrators wherein the ore is fed into the washer at one end or side and then rotated to an opposite or distant discharge end or side which has heretofore mainly been done by rotating the vessel into which the ore is fed and from which it is discharged; and it has for its object to provide a stationary washer and rotate both the feed and the discharge devices, the latter be ing in advauce'of the former, whereby the traveling or rotating feed device deposits or drops into the washer a continuous feed in the path of its movement, and the traveling discharge correspondingly acts to discharge the waste-matter, not, however, of a feed being deposited, but of one previously deposited, so that ample time is afforded between the interval of deposit and discharge for the metal in the ore or gangue to separate from the waste-matters before thelatter are withdrawn from the washer.

My invention has for its further object to so discharge the gangue from the washer that no free gold is mechanically carried up between stones, rock or other like substances through the discharge appliances.

My invention accordingly consists of a system of washing and concentrating ore or gangue and of the combinations, construc tions and arrangements of parts as hereinafter more fully described in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a sectional elevation of an ore washing and concentrating device embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is alike view of part of same showing a modified form of feed and discharge pipe ends for the washer. Fig. 3 is a plan of the greasy gold collector for the or bulk of material ofiwhich the gangue iscoinposed. Fig. 5, is a plan partly sectional of another form of washer and Fig. 6 is an elevation of same.

A represents any suitable form of washer or concentrator vessel suitably held or mounted in a fixed position, and B jarring mechanism for agitating and spreading the gangue supplied to it. Said mechanism may be of any suitable kind and located as the requirements of service demand. In the drawiugs it is shown composed of a reciprocating striker bar b actuated from a power crank b through the instrumentalities of links or other connections b located opposite one side of the vessel A While on the other side is provided a rubber or other elastic cushion c. Suitably suspended above the vessel A is an ore supply trough'D receiving its supply of water and ore or the latter separately from a revolving or other screen E.

From trough or receiver D leads the feed pipe F for supplying ore to the vessel A. The receiver D and pipe F are mounted on a discharge or suction pipe G so as to rotate therewith, and said pipe G has a socket joint connection g with the pump g and is rotated by a belt or other power transmitting device g Said pipes F and G are suitably configured to conform to their path of movement in vessel A, and when rotated the feed pipe E discharges in the path of its movement a supply of ore in vessel A, see more plainly Fig. 2, to admit of the metal separating therefrom before coming within the influence of the suction or discharge pipe G, or in other words the latter is located ahead of the supply pipe and discharges gangue which has been previously deposited by the feed pipe and in such respect said feed and discharge while rotating together in close proximity are relatively distantly located in respect to the functions they perform. Hence there is a clear space m (see Fig. 2) always between the feed and discharge, and to provide for collecting any free floating greasy gold or other heavy metal not taken up by the discharge, a grate, recticulated, or perforated collector II is inserted between the feed and discharge.

In the drawings this collector is represented as attached to the feed pipe F and extending toward the suction pipe G.

To provide for withdrawal of first the lighter particles of the gangue and then the gradually increasing heavier particles instead of withdrawing them all simultaneously, the end g of the suction pipe may be made with a rising incline having its lowest point nearest the feed pipe and gradually elevating as shown. \Vithin said end are partitions g to divide it into chutes or chambers g g g which lead into the common pipe G, as shown more plainly in Fig. 4. The chute 9 being highest from the surface or level of discharge in vessel A has the least suction power but is in advance of all the successive chutes which successively coming nearer to the said level of discharge have correspondingly increased. suction power. The fine particles of the gangue are first withdrawn or discharged into tube G, then the next heavier particles and so on until the largest and heaviest particles that the pump will discharge are taken up. This system of discharge admits of the thorough successive separation of said particles. Hence the lighter or less heavy metal particles do not segregate with the bulky waste matters to be carried up with them through the discharge pipe.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the feed deposited in the washer, is agitated therein and before being discharged all the free metal has ample opportunity to separate itself from the gangue up to and within the act of the gangue being discharged, and that the operation is continuous. Hence the device is especially available for working large bulks of ore economically and withoutloss of metal. The washer is provided with any suitable form of overflow as desired.

It will be further noted that the foregoing improvements are available for a concentrator having a layer of mercury therein upon which the ore is fed as well as for a washer and concentrator.

In this application I claim broadly the inclined suction-pipe discharge end having chutes of varying suction power, while in concurrent pending application Serial No. 477,166 the same is only claimed specifically in combination with other elements.

As it is evident that the novel features of my invention may be greatly changed without departing from the spirit of the same I do not confine myself thereto as shown and described.

What I claim is- 1. In combination with an ore washer or concentrator, of a traveling feed device and a suction discharge device and actuating devices for said feed and discharge, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a stationary ore washer or concentrator vessel, of actuating mechanism for jarring said vessel, a traveling feed device and a suction discharge device, and actuating devices for said feed and discharge, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with an ore washer or concentrator, a stationary vessel containing mercury, of mechanism for jarring said vessel, a rotating tubular feed device and a corresponding suction discharge device and actuating mechanism for said feed and discharge, as substantially set forth.

4. In combination with an ore washer or concentrator vessel containing mercury, of a traveling feed device, suction discharge device and a collector for removing impure metal fioatin g on the surface of the mercury, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a washer or concentrator, a traveling feed and discharge, one I in advance of the other, and the discharge acting on successively the preceding depositions, substantially as set forth.

6. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of a receiving vessel, a rotating feed, discharge, and greasy or impure metal collector, substantially as set forth.

7. In an ore washer, a discharge suction pipe, having its inlet end inclined from below upwardly and partitioned to provide chutes of varying suction power, substantially as set forth.

8. In an ore washer or concentrator an inlet end suction pipe having chutes of varying discharge or suction power, substantially as set forth.

9. In an ore washer and concentrator a feed pipe, a suction discharge pipe, and a collector I-I, attached to one or both said pipes, substantially as set forth.

10. In an ore washer and concentrator the combination of a receiving vessel, means for jarring the same, and a rotating discharge and feed, substantially as set forth.

11. In an ore washer and concentrator the combination of a receiving vessel, and a 1'0- tating feed and a discharge distantly located relatively to their performed functions, sub stantially as set forth.

In testimony WhereofIalfix my signatu re in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. PIKE.

Witnesses:

THos. S. Ronenns, JAMES T. DAILY.

ITO 

